Kait Munro, a spokeswoman for the Erie County District Attorney office, told HuffPost they have not released the victim’s name.

Munro could confirm there is an ongoing investigation into the death of a transgender woman killed this week. Officials are looking into the killing as a possible hate crime.

A picture of 35-year-old Tonya Harvey. (Tonya Harvey/Facebook)

“The Erie County District Attorney’s Office, along with Buffalo Police, is investigating the death of a transgender woman killed on Shepard Street,” the spokeswoman said in a press statement sent to HuffPost. “The DA’s Office is also extremely concerned about a spike in homicides of transgender people across the country and will be, as part of this investigation, looking into whether or not this is a potential hate crime.”

Buffalo Police spokesman Michael J. De George told The Buffalo News the victim was shot just before 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday and declared dead at the scene. It was the city’s first confirmed homicide of the year. De George did not immediately respond to HuffPost’s request for comment.